Spain Tries To Remove Burger King TV Ads

Spain's government tried to halt Burger King this week from pitching its biggest burgers on television, intimating it might take the chain to court.

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Spain's government tried to halt Burger King this week from pitching its biggest burgers on television, intimating it might take the chain to court.

The Guardian says the situation began last week when Elena Salgado, Spain's health minister, complained about an ad for Burger King's XXL burger, which the ministry claims has 971 calories. Burger King responded with ads for its Double Whopper with the punchline, "Eat like a man!"

The report says the minister characterized the ad as a breach of a voluntary agreement that chains would promote moderation. Felix Lobo, head of Spain's food regulatory body, said the case could end up in court for "illegally failing to comply with a contract."

Burger King said it just reacted to client taste, and always works "to reduce the risk of illness provoked by an inadequate diet and to promote a balanced ... diet," the report says.-- Joe Roybal